


The Gift of the Doctor

by Clever_Girl_22



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Gen, Light Angst, Post-Episode: s07e05 The Angels Take Manhattan, This is a Respost, Time Travel, World War I, not gonna try and explain the science behind this time travel (this ain't Avengers sorry), retconned because this trio deserved better yep I'm calling you out moffat square up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:28:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27925294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clever_Girl_22/pseuds/Clever_Girl_22
Summary: After many holidays alone, the Doctor decides it's finally time to track down his long-lost companions. It's Christmas, after all; Pond deserved at least one last ride in her raggedy Man's box.
Relationships: Amy Pond/Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor & Amy Pond, Eleventh Doctor & Amy Pond & Rory Williams
Kudos: 6





	The Gift of the Doctor

**Author's Note:**

> Hi folks; someone is bound to already have seen this fic back in July when I got over-excited after digging up the OG copy from my journal box...all that's changed is I re-edited it for grammar and made some minor changes to the script. And the fact that I'm posting it during Christmas and not in the middle of the summer.
> 
> "Angels Take Manhattan" was the first episode I watched (talk about spoilers), so the trio is very near and dear to my heart. Alias, I haven't been caught up with the fandom in awhile, so my references/knowledge may be outdated. I have, like, six other projects and events I'm finishing up, so I hope to come back to the fandom eventually.

_"Amy, please. Just get back in the TARDIS."_

_"Will that thing zap me back to where Rory is?"_

_We can't be sure, Amy. Once you blink I'll...I'll never see you again."_

_A strained smile._

_"Well then, 'Geronimo', right?"_

_"Wait Amy!"_

_"Raggedy Man; goodbye!"_

************************

"Amy..."

The Doctor jolted awake, rocking his hammock so violently that he tumbled out of it and onto the floor. He laid there, on his stomach, his arms positioned to right himself. He stared out at the TARDIS' controls. A dream. It had been a dream--and a repetitive one as well. Scowling, the Doctor stood up.

"Why must I have dreams like this?" He muttered, straightening his bowtie.

He then threw himself--graceful as a giraffe--back into the hammock and stared at the ceiling, the cloth swaying gently beneath.

"Annoying dream..." He murmured as he twiddled his thumbs.

This reoccurring dream had started five years ago, exactly on the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth of each month. And, _exactly_ five years ago, he had lost his beloved companion and her dear husband to the Weeping Angels. Those _damned_ Weeping Angels who had taken his companions and trapped them in time out of his reach.

_‘Well, that's what they thought.’_

The Doctor stretched loudly and vaulted himself out of his hammock.

"You think that you'll keep them there?" he shouted.

The Doctor felt a rush of defiance as he jumped over a safety bar. He checked the coordinates; he hadn't changed them since.

_"Well I don't think so!"_

He pulled some switches and rushed to another panel. Heart racing, blood pumping, the Doctor was fueled with anger and joy as he prepared his beloved box for its journey.

“Seriously,” he whispered, "Come on, then, give me your all, old girl."

With a throw of a level, the TARDIS roared to life, the force knocking The Doctor off his feet. He groped for something--anything--to hold onto as the police box flipped on its side. He knew it would be difficult to take off after some time off, but this was worse than expected. Still, his excitement surged.

"Oh, so we're going to play rough now, _eh?"_ The Doctor shouted as the TARDIS rotated at a nauseating pace.

Eventually, it righted itself enough for its caretaker to regain control. He stumbled to the main control panel and with an exuberant shout flipped a switch; the TARDIS made a noise that sounded like splitting wood. Slightly alarmed, The Doctor pressed another button. The box groaned and swerved sharply, causing him to fall onto his backside. Finally, the moving stopped; the TARDIS quieted to a faint humming. As he laid on the cold floor, The Doctor let out a sign of relief. Soon, he started to laugh.

"And...I did it again!"

*************************

Amy sat by the fireplace of her small apartment, alone and preoccupied with solitaire. Rory was, once again, out on the streets trying to scrounge up a job. New York in 1932 hadn't offered much: the Depression had sucked Manhattan dry of income within weeks. Defeating herself once more, Amy scowled and set the cards aside. She then stared at the pathetic fire glowing dimly in her fireplace, her mind wandered. She could recall bits and pieces of what her old life had been like; family, friends, her career. But the most reoccurring memory was of a man and a box. A man and his blue box that could travel through time and give her all the adventure she could ever _dream_ of.

Amy missed this man and his blue box. 

She sighed wistfully and glanced out a window; it was Christmas Eve and the snow was well over two feet now. Amy stared out the window abstractedly, thinking about the police box positioned on her street corner. Worn and fading, she gazed at its doors. Despite the numerous chips and scratches, it was a lovely shade of blue. Suddenly, she stirred.

_‘There has never been a police box there.’_

Amy rushed to grab her overcoat and boots, tossing them on hurriedly as she struggled to lock her apartment door behind her. She had grabbed a shovel and a candle and prepared to descend into the winter wonderland outside, mumbling curses as she ran. By the time she was at ground level, Amy was sprinting as fast as she could. She doubted her eyes; there was no _way_ it could be him! Once she got closer, she stopped. Five feet from the box, a snow angel was imprinted on the ground. Immediately, she raised her shovel, ready to knock the teeth of whatever statue dared touch her again.

"Hello, Pond."

Slowly, Amy turned around. She knew that voice anytime.

"Amy."

"Doctor."

They stood there in silence, until Amy asked, "How did you find me?"

The Doctor ran his fingers through his hair sheepishly.

"Oh, well, I'm a Time Lord; one little fixed point isn't going to stop me." He said, smiling.

Amy stared off sadly, "You know, I've missed you." 

The Doctor felt a tinge of hurt in her voice.

"I missed you too, Pond." He replied.

"So, the snow angel. Is that supposed to be some type of cruel-yet-ironic calling card?" Amy asked, her eyes then flashing.

"Well, not really. I just couldn't help myself; haven't made one in awhile and the weather here is absolutely beauti-"

Amy interrupted him, "Why come _now?"_

The Doctor sighed, noting the distance Amy still kept between them. He contemplated moving forward, but chose to stay on his side of the grass.

"Amy, have I ever lied to you?" he asked.

She shrugged, "I don't know."

"Okay, don't answer that actually..."

"Well, how would _I_ know?" Amy cried, "You _left_ Rory and me here! We are unemployed and _poor!_ I can't even find a job that doesn't require me to take lunch orders for some Wall Street macho-man while parading around in a pleated skirt. And it’s been _years;_ how did you never find us?”

“Amy, please, I--”

“Look, I appreciate you coming--really, I do--but if this is a _'fixed time'_ , how come you've come back _now_ and not _before?"_

The Doctor cleared his throat. During the past few years, when he did not travel, he had taken to studying his own wonky form of science. The theory of fixed time was more theoretical than proven; yet, deep in his heart, the Doctor knew he was afraid. He was afraid that he could spend eons searching for his beloved companion and never see her again. And, as painful as this fear was, it had deterred him from trying.

"Amy, I will be frank with you--you still like that in people, I assume. I was _afraid._ I was afraid of getting my hopes up and traveling across multiple timelines to find you and your husband, only to fail. It held me back. Please, you must understand this, to a degree, how _terrifying_ it is to search for something you lost; to make that choice to find it. Surely, when this whole mess began and you knew you needed to find Rory--surely, you must have been afraid."

The Doctor took a seat in the snow, his shoulders slumped.

"Surely, you must understand. Deep in my hearts, I knew I couldn't spend the rest of my existence without you. I wouldn’t be able to be that brave--like you."

Amy softened and sat down next to him. This man, who had survived genocide, war, assassination attempts, and a whole parade of murderous aliens, was calling _her_ brave. He looked sad, helpless even. Amy put her arm on his shoulder.

"You really are a mad man with a box, aren't you?" She said, beaming.

"Yes, I am." The Doctor said, returning the smile. He held out his hand.

"Come on, let's pop into my old girl for a bit."

Amy took his hand and the pair heading into the TARDIS. She soon realized that the blue box hadn't changed much; nicknacks, gadgets, and personal belongings cluttered the room.

"Still bigger on the inside, eh? Raggedy Man?" She teased, nudging a pile of clothes in a hamper.

The Doctor hurried over and snatched the laundry bin.

"It just needs a little tidying, that's all." He retorted playfully.

Amy Pond wandered the control room, memories of dinosaurs, romans, and spaceships flooding her consciousness. It wasn't too long ago that she and Rory stood here, ready for another perilous adventure. She paused; something was missing.

 _‘Rory!’_ She thought.

The TARDIS' doors swung shut as the Doctor flung some levers into reverse. Amy ran to the door, aiming to shoulder-check it, but the frame wouldn't budge.

"Doctor, what are you doing? We left _Rory!"_ She cried.

"It's Christmas Eve, Pond. I thought we'd do this alone one last time. " He replied, a grin growing on his face, "Besides, your husband won't even notice you're gone. We'll be back in no time!"

He winked as Amy scowled and continued, "So where to, I wonder..." 

Instantly, an idea struck him.

"Oh, I know a place to go....yes, yes it is absolutely perfect!" He cried, clapping his hands together and springing into action.

"And _where_ exactly is that?" Amy asked as she followed him up to the control panel.

"Christmas Eve and Day, 1914. Oh, Pond, you'll really like this one..."

*************************************

They landed right in the middle of a soccer match. In fact, at the exact same moment as the Doctor burst out of the TARDIS door, a crude ball was kicked midair.

"Ah, Christmas in the trenches! What a night this was-- **_oof!"_ **

He then took the soccer ball in the stomach. 

Wheezing, the Doctor crumpled over; Amy reactively dragged him back into the blue box, startled and alert. By now the soldiers had stopped their game and were staring at the sudden appearance of a police box in their area. They could hear Amy and the Doctor arguing inside the box, until they finally creeped back out.

"Good evening, gentlemen! Don't worry; I'm fine. I've taken much harder hits than a ratty football." the Doctor cheered, "Good shot, though!"

"Who are you?" A soldier asked.

"Well, my good sir, _I'm_ the Doctor!" Was the dubious reply, giving the others a toothy grin.

The soldier still looked confused,

"I'm Peter." He said hesitantly.

Amy looked at the other soldiers. She realized that they were wearing different uniforms. Gradually, even more soldiers began to introduce themselves.

"I'm Colin."

"The name's William."

“Mine is Nikoli!"

"I am Maurice."

One by one, each soldier happily introduced themselves.

"So you all came together for Christmas, eh?" The Doctor asked.

Amy gave him a confused look.

"Doctor, they aren't wearing the same uniforms; they aren't even on the same side of the war."

The Doctor smiled slightly.

"That's why this is the greatest Christmas ever! Look at them: British, French, German--there's even an American and a Russian! They stopped fighting so they could celebrate; they believe in the spirit of Christmas. See, not even war can destroy Christmas."

Amy was puzzled. She had heard of this once in a schoolbook, where soldiers on a frontline ceased fire for a handful of days to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. It amazed her how well they could communicate with each other despite their broken English.

The Doctor, however, was more concerned about another matter. He rubbed his hands together gleefully.

"Now, Pond, who wants to show these gentlemen how to play some _real_ _football?"_

***********************************

For the rest of the evening, Amy Pond and the Doctor played soccer and sang Christmas carols with the rag-tag group of soldiers. They even partook in their big Christmas Eve feast: canned beans and dark chocolate with tea biscuits, a treat from William's fiancé in Bath. The Doctor was surprisingly good at soccer, even if he looked like a drunken ostrich while he ran. Amy herself wasn't very good, so she was stuck in the makeshift goal, which was made out of two crude trash bins. It was glorious; the Doctor could play some _exceptional_ defense. In the end, the Doctor scored twice and Amy didn't do too bad either, charging a man and blocking a pass with an impressive headbutt. As they finished their game and headed to the mess-hall tent, Amy watched the soldiers, who barely knew each other, laugh and talk warmly. The American--Colin--started making hot chocolate.

"Come and get it, boys!" He called once it was done.

The soldiers passed out the few tin mugs the Allies' kitchen had and poured out the sugary drinks. Circling a table, they all enjoyed the wintery beverage, talking pleasantly of their homes and what they would do with their lives once the war was over. The Doctor and Amy sat with the first few soldiers that had introduced themselves earlier.

"So, where did you come from?" Peter asked.

The two companions looked at each other. They couldn't disguise the fact that their box had literally fallen from the sky.

"We're from England." Amy said finally.

Colin smiled and nudged William.

"Ah, so you're like this guy; a pasty, little Brit?" He teased.

William smiled in spite of himself as he rolled his eyes.

"So, why have you all stopped your little war tonight?" The Doctor innocently asked, winking at his companion.

Maurice seemed to shift uncomfortably.

"Well, you see, Monsieur, it _is_ Christmas time. We should not be fighting and hurting on the holiday." He said quietly, "No one should be suffering during Christmas, not even us."

The time-travelers watched as the others nodded their heads.

Nikoli added, "Besides, I heard The Pope said we should not be having war on Christmas anyways."

The Doctor nodded and smiled solemnly.

"You boys will be the last to celebrate Christmas together in the trenches."

Peter, who had been silent during the conversation, stood.

"Then, I propose a toast. This strange man and lady in their floating police box may be right, but I hope they will be wrong. A toast, to our only family tonight--ourselves," He declared, taking a long swig from his mug, "As my country says, _‘frohe Weihnachten und Gott segne!’_ "

The others cheered in agreement and joined him in his swig. The Doctor smiled, leaning back in his chair alongside Amy. He looked at her in the hubbub.

"See, Pond. These men could be killing each other in two days time. I hate to say it, but it would be unlikely if any of them even survive the week. Yet, despite this, they choose to come together; they don't care because they were going to celebrate anyway."

He paused.

"The sad thing is that really will never happen again. I've searched for these types of moments and never found anything even _close_ to this night. It's disheartening; there will never be another Christmas Truce ever again."

Him and Amy stared at their cups, saddened. Watching the soldiers pull out cards and pocket board games, Amy Pond felt a crack in her heart; to never see their family again or their loved ones was an unbearable thought in her head. She understood their secret fear, yet she felt grateful to witness this almost hidden scene in history. Soon, their soldier friends invited them into their card tournament. The Doctor joyfully jumped as Amy sat back for a bit. It was not worth it to dwell on the unstoppable; now was a time to celebrate with her long-lost companion. As she joined in and laughed with the Doctor and the soldiers, she couldn't help but feel her remorse melt away.

Truly, all was bright, if only for the night.

*************************************

The next morning, the Doctor and Amy Pond left 1914. Before departing, the pair was surprised with various gifts from their soldier companions. Collectively, they shared a small duffle of chocolate bars and cigarettes--they even received a dated postcard Nikoli had kept from Petersburg. Soon they said their farewells and climbed back into the TARDIS. Now, the two companions sat in their box as it hung in space; the door was cracked open as they gazed at the galaxy surrounding them. Munching on their Christmas gifts, the Doctor turned to his companion.

"You want to go home?" He asked shyly.

"We could stay out here for a few more minutes, really." Amy replied nonchalantly.

He saw that small smile she often made.

"Yes, that sounds lovely."

************************************

In an instant, they landed exactly when they had first left. The snow still fell and the Doctor's snow angel still looked freshly pressed. When The Doctor pressed the door open, he was created by a lonely light pole, gleaming dimly in the night. A sudden streak of sadness passed through him.

"Ah, Christmas Eve in New York. Lovely time of the year; good, big trees too." He said.

Amy agreed, "Yes it _is_ a pretty nice time...it isn’t so bad, I guess" 

They looked at each other hesitantly. More than anything, the Doctor wanted to stay by her side. And more than anything, Amy wanted to leave right now and spend the rest of her life traveling in that damned blue box with this ludicrous yet amazingly thoughtful friend of hers. But both knew that simply could not be.

After another moment of silence, The Doctor said awkwardly, "Well, I guess I must be off then..."

"No. No, no. Stay, _please."_ Amy said quietly.

There was a firmness in her voice that the Doctor only heard when she was serious.

"You _cannot_ leave again--I might never see you."

The Doctor suddenly felt smaller, more vulnerable. He was this man of great power, yet he couldn't even save his dearest friend. Without words, they hugged each other. After a few moments, the two companions heard a voice.

 _"Amy!_ Where the bloody Hell _are_ you? **_Amy?!"_ **

The two spun around.

**_"Rory!"_ **

Amy ran to her husband, who was quickly descending the apartment stair, dressed only in his overcoat and boxer shorts. The couple embraced.

"Amelia Pond, _where_ in God's name did you go?" Her husband asked, obviously worried.

Before she could say anything,The Doctor chimed in.

"We went and celebrated Christmas in 1914 on a _battlefield!_ It was a _spectacular_ scene!" He cried.

Rory gave him a cold look.

"So you _did_ come back. It took you long enough." He retorted.

Amy pulled back.

"Honey, he tried to come. A fixed time-point is very difficult to get around." She said.

Rory, still suspicious, walked to his old friend. For a moment, he reached for a handshake, but then surprised The Doctor with a great hug.

"I am so glad you’re back!" He cried, pinpricks of tears in his eyes.

As he hugged the Doctor's lanky body, Amy smiled. The sight of Rory in a good mood had become rarer and rarer; tonight was a gift to all of them.

Pulling back from their hug, Rory exclaimed, "How could you bring my wife-- _my pregnant wife_ \--to a war! What type of Christmas is that?"

The Doctor, flabbergasted, looked sternly at Amy.

"You didn’t tell me you had a baby in you...I for _sure_ wouldn’t have let you play football, if I had know!" He cried.

Amy rolled her eyes playfully.

"I'm a month-and-a-half pregnant with a child that, as far as we know, isn't going to be your future wife; it's barely the size of a pea!" She stated.

"Wait, you let my pregnant wife _play football_ with grown men?" Rory cried.

"Pond did _not_ tell me about the pea-sized human growing in her body!" The Doctor cried, exasperated.

Amy brushed the men's' complaints away with her hands.

"Come, Raggedy Man; join us for Christmas. I can at least promise you a better meal than canned beans and chocolate." She said.

The Doctor, surprised, asked "Are you sure?"

Rory, still stunned, managed a laugh.

"Well unless you have other plans, you might as well stay." He said, agreeing with his wife.

The Doctor grinned; no matter what, these two always found a way to come into agreement.

"Alright...I _suppose_ I can stay, just for you two."

*********************************************

That night, the Doctor celebrated Christmas with the Ponds. In their apartment, the friends talked about New York, their recent adventure, and possible baby names, accompanied by their a marvelous turkey dinner, which Rory insisted on making. After a while, they all gathered by the tiny Christmas tree in the living room. Rory and Amy exchange gifts--a blue watch for Rory and a gold necklace for Amy--and handed The Doctor a box. He was thoroughly surprised when he realized it was for him.

"For _me?"_ He asked.

The couple nodded eagerly. Inside was a small snow glob of an angel. It was white and fragile-looking, vastly different from the beings they had previously known. The Doctor gently shook the globe, watching the powdery snow flit around.

“Thank you, companions." He said softly. 

Now, truly, he realized he did not want to leave them. The Doctor started fishing in his pockets.

"I do have something for you...not really a Christmas gift but nevertheless..." He mumbled.

The Doctor finally found what he was looking for: the object was small and blue, appearing to be made of ceramic. Along with it, a magnet was tied to it.

"This," The Doctor proudly presented," is an ornament from something called a _'Comic-con'._ Found this while in London in 2004, along with the magnet. It seems people are fans of us in some realities."

The magnet read **'Bow-ties are cool'** with a small, red fez at the center, while the ornament was that of a miniature glass TARDIS. It glinted in the fire light brilliantly; Amy took it and gently hung it on the tree. Rory took the magnet and, with a chuckle, attached it to their small kitchen fridge. The Doctor fidgeted.

"So, do you like them?" He asked shyly.

"Of course we do, silly man!" Amy said warmly.

"Yes, a lot better than an ugly sweater, that's for sure. " Rory added.

The three friends broke into laughter.

“Merry Christmas, Raggedy Man!" Amy said.

"Merry Christmas, Ponds." 

****************************************

By morning, the Doctor was getting ready to head out. He had slept in their tiny guest room upon the Ponds' request; he reasoned it was much warmer than his blue box. When heading to the kitchen he found that Amy had made tea and a small batch of Christmas cookies for his journey. Before leaving, Rory made the trio a proper English breakfast, filled biscuits and English muffins; by noon, the Doctor was ready to leave. The group trudged out into the cold to say their goodbyes; Rory noticed the snow angel.

"Who did that?" He asked.

"Oh, that was me!" The Doctor replied cheerfully, "Haven't done one in a while so I had to get it out of my system."

Rory laughed as they went up to the police box. The snow swirled lightly outside.

"Goodbye, Rory Williams. Take care of Amelia for me" The Doctor said, shaking the other man's hand.

"Goodbye, you mad man." He replied, a lump forming in his throat as he smiled wistfully.

Then, the Doctor turned to Amy.

"So, _this_ is goodbye, isn't it?" She asked, tears beginning to well up, “Like, is this _it?”_

The Doctor hugged her tightly.

"Do not fret, Pond. This isn't goodbye forever. I'll be back!" He assured her softly, fiercely.

This girl--the girl who would wait her whole _life_ all over again for him--simply could not be forgotten. Deep in his hearts, the Doctor knew he would find a way (he always did) to return and maybe even bring the Ponds back one day to their original timeline. But until then, a few surprise visits would have to do. He took her hands in his.

"You two are like family to me,” He continued, "And I could not simply leave you behind. So I promise, eventually, I will crash back into your lives many more times."

The Doctor rarely cried, but Rory noticed tears glinting in his eyes. This man, sometimes distant and reserved, opened his hearts to them so eagerly and earnestly. Reflecting on it all, it was simply mind-boggling for Rory to comprehend how lucky they were to stumble upon him. The Doctor broke his seriousness with a wide grin.

"Oh, you companions, always breaking my hearts." He sighed.

Letting go, The Doctor trudged into his TARDIS, alone. He smiled in spite of himself.

 _‘Alone’,_ He thought. _‘Truly alone without those two knuckleheads.’_

Turning, he shouted, "Well, Geronimo! _Geronimo,_ my companions! New adventures will _always_ await us!"

He waved, turned, and shut the door. A few minutes later, the box groaned to life.

*********************************

Rory looked at the calendar. October 29, 1964. It was his and Amy's wedding anniversary. He had picked up a small set of pearl earrings for her; their daughter Rosey (The Doctor had mentioned he liked that name) was all grown up and living in her own apartment with her own family now. Even with frequent visits, Rory still felt a passing sadness whenever she returned to her own home. He discovered Amy, now silvered with age, sitting in the modest sofa chair in their living room. She was staring out the window. Since Rory had admired the pocket watch from all those years ago, she had gotten him a beautiful gold chain to attach it. It sparkled in the sunlight streaming from their main window.

As Rory approached, he noticed that she was staring intensely out that same window, squinting hard.

"What is it?" He asked.

Amy, straining her eyes, caught a glimpse of something whirring into the street, next to a single lamp post. Something was there; something big, something blue.

"Rory, _look!"_

They peered out once more.

Oh, yes; it was still there.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to anyone and everyone who comes and gives this fic a second chance; I was originally going to trash it, but a small part of my heart still belongs to the Raggedy Man. As always, constructive criticism is appreciated!
> 
> • "frohe Weihnachten und Gott segne" ~ "Merry Christmas and God bless" (Google Translate)
> 
> • The Christmas Truce (1914/1915): a historical event that occured at the beginning of WWI; this celebration was recorded as taking place in several different frontline trenches/no-man lands between both opposing sides. The longest celebration lasted roughly seven days, from Christmas Eve to New Years Day. This is the only time during war a truce like this has happened (Wikipedia).


End file.
